Pope says treat AIDS victims with compassion

Pope Benedict has reached out to AIDS victims saying he feels “spiritually close” to them.

He went on to reinforce the Church's position that fidelity, chastity and abstinence are the best defence against AIDS.

Reuters
reports that in light of World AIDS Day on Saturday, the Pope appealed
to the world to treat victims with compassion rather than distain.

He
has also urged “all people of goodwill” to step up efforts to stop the
spread of HIV, but has reiterated the Church's opposition to using
condoms saying the promotion of them would foster “immoral and
hedonistic behaviour”.

"I am spiritually close to those who
suffer from this terrible sickness as well as to their families,
particularly if they have lost a loved one. I assure them all of my
prayers," the Pope said.

“We need to oppose the scorn that often strikes those affected and to take care of the sick, especially the children”.

According
to the latest UN figures, more than 33 million people are infected with
the AIDS virus. Some 2.1 million people died of AIDS in 2007, including
1.7 million adults and 330,000 children.